Golf

Georgia College Golf Maintains #1 Spot

Sep 24, 2009

by Tyler Peck, sports information graduate assistant

NEW YORK - The preseason favorite Georgia
College & State University retains the No. 1 spot in the first
Golf World/Nike Golf Division II Coaches Poll. The poll
combines the resources of the Golf World magazine, Nike
Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

The Bobcats received nine of the 18 first place votes after
winning their fall opener, the Kiawah Island Invitational, by seven
strokes. At the SpringHill Suites Invitational Georgia College
finished fifth, losing to three D-I programs. This past weekend,
the ‘Cats were runner up to Newberry College at the State
Farm-Laker Collegiate Classic.

Georgia College is one of five Peach Belt Conference (PBC)
schools in the top-25, with Columbus State University at No. 2,
USC-Aiken at No. 10, Clayton State University at No. 15 and No. 21
Lander University. Rounding out the top-five are No. 3 Barry
University, Sonoma State University at No. 4 and Lynn University at
No. 5.

Senior leadership from Niclas Johannson
(Skanor, Sweden) has helped with the success of Georgia
College this fall due in part to Johansson's three top-10 finishes
and 71-stroke average. Joe Young (Cochran,
Ga.), Billy Shida (Berkeley
Lakes, Ga.) and Francisco Bide
(Buenos Aires, Argentina) have also been major
contributors. Young and Bide have a 71.4 stroke average and Shida
is averaging 72.6 per round as all three Bobcats have competed in
all three tournaments this fall.

The Bobcat golf team will be back in action Oct. 5-6 at the
AFLAC/Cougar Invitational hosted by Columbus State.

The GCSU Department of Athletics, winners of the 2008-09 PBC
Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the
NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides
itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by
the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as
well as documented academic success and community-service
involvement. Sign up at Twitter.com username GCSUSID for
up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate
your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics
Hall of Fame.